“There was an incident in the room that forced Lord Torin to close the keep.”
“What incident?” Flora asked and saw that Verena appeared reluctant to answer.
“It would help me to know, Verena,” Flora encouraged, and the woman’s eyes went to someone in the group of servants. Flora looked to see who Verena had glanced at.
A woman whose dark hair fell haphazardly around her head and down the sides of her pretty face quickly averted her eyes.
“Your name?” Flora called out, pointing at her.
“Anwen, my lady,” the woman said, and the others stepped away from her.
Flora sensed an unease that seemed to settle over everyone and quickly said, “While I speak with Anwen, fetch what you need to get started here in the Great Hall.”
Everyone fled rapidly and Iona slowly made her way to the door.
Flora walked over to Anwen, recalling her husband mentioning something about a woman who had been frightened by the giant. “I assume you had a fright with the ghost.”
“Ah, my lady.”
“And where did this happen?” Flora asked and when Anwen hesitated to respond, she encouraged. “Please, share what happened with me. It would truly help me to know so that I may purge the keep of the ghost.”
“It was in Lord Torin’s bedchamber, my lady,” Anwen said, keeping her eyes downcast as she responded.
“Tell me about it.”
Anwen’s head shot up.
Flora saw fear in the woman’s eyes and sought to comfort. “Worry not. The ghost will not harm you. Now tell me, was it while you did your chores that the ghost came upon you?”
Iona listened from the shadows as she crept to the door and smiled.
Anwen’s cheeks flushed red, and her mouth opened but no words fell out.
Flora was about to suggest they step outside seeing how fearful Anwen looked when a thought struck, and she spoke without thinking. “You were in the room with my husband at the time?”
“Aye, my lady, but it is not what many assumed. Nothing happened between us,” Anwen said with a nervous tremor. “Please, my lady, please do not punish me.”
Flora’s brow wrinkled in question. “Why would I punish you? I was not wed to Lord Torin at the time. He could do as he pleased as could you.”
Anwen stared at her speechless.
Endless questions began to clutter Flora’s head. There was much this woman could tell her not only about the ghost but about Torin. With all the questions she could ask, she shocked herself with the one that fell unfettered from her lips.
“Would you go to Lord Torin’s bed now that he is wed?”
Anwen gasped. “Never, my lady, never would I lay with a wedded man and never did I lay with Lord Torin.”
“But there are women here who would?” Flora asked, not having given it thought since she believed that a husband and wife remained faithful to each other just as her parents had. Though she knew of some couples, friends of her parents and nobles who supported scholars in their academic endeavors, who had not remained faithful to their vows, and that included both husband and wife. She had seen for herself that those particular couples never seemed satisfied or happy.
Again, Anwen was reluctant to answer.
“Please share with me what you know, or think, Anwen, it would be a great help,” Flora encouraged with a gentle smile.
Anwen nodded. “I have seen for myself that there are women and men alike who do not adhere to their vows. I also know of some men who find that one woman is not enough for them.”
“Could it be that they have yet to find love?” Flora asked, finding the discussion enlightening.
Anwen sighed softly, shaking her head. “Love is rare, my lady. Lust is what most couples share and when gone there is nothing left.”